Redpath/Ridpath/Reidpath Family Newsletter
4Q November 2004
Table of Contents:
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Family History
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Long Last!
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Running late with this edition,
but I figured I would get the 4Q newsletter out "under the wire"
on the last day of the quarter and year. Please enjoy and start
preparing those items for the next newsletter in 1Q 2005!
Wesley Redpath
Hello, I am William Wesley Redpath.
I am 83 Years old. My Mother was Helen Anthony and my Father was Lovell
Redpath.
I have 6 brothers and 1 sister
(John, Randolf, Rodney, Ruth, and I are Redpath's and then my Mother
divorced and re-married and had Christian and Bruce Buchele). I'm not
completely sure if my father had anymore children.
My Father was from England and was a doctor when he left England to move to Canada. I don't know
much about the family anymore due to I have Alzheimer's. I just recently received a pacemaker and have
suffered a little brain damage do to lack of blood flow to the
brain.
My wife helps me out a lot, I'm not
much for the computer. She prints out things for me to read that I feel over whelmed sometimes
to read. I do remember that my families crest was the Blue boars head and that
I was one of the Redpath's that use to get the inheritance check each month
from Linsey, Jameson and Haldan ( spelling of names may not be right). Well
that's all that can be remembered at this time.
William Wesley Redpath
Ridpath Website - Steve Ridpath
These are some of the things I'm
working on for my web site at http://riddy.co.uk/
Articles:
- The Beginnings (From the Pics to Redpath & Greenlaw)
- Tartan (updated with latest information)
- The Diary of Rev. George Ridpath of Stitchel 1755 - 1761
Documents
- Precept by King James III (1476) summoning James of Redpeth, Alexander
Redpeth, Johne of Redpeth & others.
- Register of Sasines (Land Sale) 1617 - 1780
- Sasines of Josephus Ridpath de Angelraw 1759 in Latin (trying to translate)
- Sasines of James Lorain buyer of Angelraw 1759.
- Discharge upgive all rights of tannure to Angelraw by Sarah nee Tory 1759.
- Greenlaw Parish Poll Tax and gravestone inscriptions.
Photos around Old Greenlaw, Angelraw, Peston, Kelso and others.
Steve
Ridpath - Liverpool
Dear Ridpath families.
Is there anyone who would know were
I and my off spring would be listed on which tree? Does a copy
exist? Is there also a charge levied on joining this club, is this a
association? [ed. There currently is no formal family association and no
charges for the website/newsletter]
The year 1712 to present day
would be nice to see. There was a scribe who ran with letters mentioned in
battle memos or something I believe. Always willing to be corrected, as
writing is not my thing as no doubt you can tell. Still have not got the hang of this computing yet.
Would appreciate any family member
who writes web sites to get in touch. Also Deb from Inklings, as my
Grand daughter Lois would write better than me . Only if it is safe to do
so? Ridpath schools did the youngster from the choir end up teaching there
yet?
Thank you all for your patience, must close bye bye
Alan - Liverpool
H. Redpath, III
I am sending information on my family background to include in the November Newsletter.
My name is John H. Redpath, III and I was born in Amsterdam, NY on March 1925. All the
Redpath's in my family came from Northern Ireland, and settled in Amsterdam, NY.
My great grandfather John H. Redpath, was born in County Armagh, Northern Ireland on 1830 and died on 1901 at the age of 71. He came to America in 1887 with his family and lived in Amsterdam until his death. He was a weaver, and worked in Portadown, N Ireland. He had 3 daughters and 3 sons, James Redpath, William Redpath, and John H. Redpath, Sr.
James Redpath had 2 daughters and 1 son, Walter.
William Redpath had 2 daughters.
My grandfather, John H. Redpath, Sr. was born in Knocknamuckly, in the District of Portadown, in the Union of Lurgen, in the County of Armagh on July 1, 1874 and died in 1955. He had 1 daughter, Mildred, and 2 sons, Harold and John H. Jr.
My father, John H. Redpath, Jr. was born in Amsterdam, NY on March 15, 1899 and died May 1940. He had 1 son, John H Redpath, III.
In the 1930s and 40s, in Amsterdam we had the largest Redpath concentration in a 6 block area of any city in the USA. I was the last Redpath in Amsterdam in the 1950s, and presently there are no Redpaths in Amsterdam as I moved to Yorktown, VA in 1952.
I, John H. Redpath, III was born in Amsterdam, NY on March 26, 1925. I have 2 sons Alan J. Redpath, and Charles B. Redpath.
Alan Redpath was born in Oakridge, TN on May 21, 1954. He now lives in Holly Springs, NC. He has 1 daughter, Lauren, and 2 sons, Christopher A. Redpath and Jeffery J. Redpath.
Charles Redpath was born in Newport News, VA on November 21, 1956. He now lives in Tolland, CT. He has 1 daughter, Emilie, and 1 son, Stephen J. Redpath.
Little Goodwill Christmas Tree - submitted by Sue Redpath
This is a Christmas story. Written as a reminder there are two sides to the season, the joy of family and friends and the loneliness and despair of loss. It is an example of how a simple act of kindness can renew the spirit of Christmas and keep it alive in all of us. This is a true story, one that starts with the selflessness of children. An act that continues to bring great joy to adults they have never known.
I have just returned from an afternoon spent with a neighborhood friend. She is an elderly lady in need of a helping hand and I needed to give one. Its Christmas and we both have had a year of great loss.
Our friendship actually started five years ago when I bought the house down the block. My great aunt decided to move to a retirement home and sold the house to me. I didnt really want it. I had built a life of my own. But, she needed the retirement home and would not go unless I did. She wanted to keep it in the family.
The house was in total disrepair. It had electric heat, needed a new roof, had flock wallpaper from the fifties on most of the walls and the carpets where glued to the floors. What little garden there was, was totally over grown and the lawn was non-existent. Before I had even moved in, the house was broken into and damaged. I joking told everyone I was going to write a book: If you dont touch it, it wont fall off. Frankly it summed up my life at the time.
The weekend I moved in, a friend suggested we garage sale, hoping I would find things to turn the house into something I would call my own. Thats when we met the Plant Lady. She and her husband lived on the corner and sold cuttings from their garden every Saturday.
The plant lady and I would come to have more than gardening in common and over the years our lives became intertwined. From the day I bought my first plant the dog and I always stopped on our evening walk, to exchange plants, stories and gardening woes. This year she lost her husband to cancer. Her closest living relative, a married daughter lives in Toronto. Working full time and having young children makes visiting difficult and scarce. My father also died this year of cancer, and my closest living relative, moved to British Columbia leaving an equally big whole in my life.
On one of our recent walks the dog and I decided to knock on her door. Usually we met her as she gardened, but now that the cold weather had set in and I knew that wouldnt be again until spring. We sat in her sunroom and talked of the year and the heartache it had brought to both of us. When I asked about Christmas, she said she was invited to her daughters. Its easier to go there than for them to come home she said sadly. Ive decided Im not decorating this year either. The tree is in the attic and too difficult for me to get down alone. Besides, no ones going to be around to enjoy it. I just cant be bothered.
I offered to help her but her mind was made up. I couldnt bare the idea that this lovely lady would be lonely for most of Christmas and came up with a solution. What you need is my little Christmas tree. That will help you get in the spirit again. All I ask is that when you no longer need it, please pass it on to someone else or return it to me. Ill drop it off tomorrow.
In 1999, a Christmas Bazaar was held at a local public school. The aim was to teach all the children the true meaning of Christmas. Each class was asked to make and sell crafts and goodies to raise money. The money was to be used to buy presents for children less fortunate in the school. By the time I arrived the auditorium was full. I walked around the room immediately taken by the joy and generosity of all that was displayed. Everything lovingly hand made by the children and their parents.
Eventually I came to the table I was seeking. The one my friends twelve-year-old granddaughter and her best friend stood behind with great anticipation. The two, the only ones in their class, had worked months preparing all the crafts now up for sale.
There it was. The only one of its kind. A little Christmas tree standing three feet tall decked out in little blue lights. The girls had made it out of coat hangers, surrounded those with store bought garland to make it look real, and strung the lights around it. Short of that, it was bare. I knew I had to have it. The love and effort that went into its creation outshone everything else in the room. I gave them twenty dollars and gingerly placed it in the car. Although Christmas is meant to be a time of happiness, it can be a time of great sadness and disappointment. This was one of those years for someone very close to me.
Moving to the retirement home had been a good thing for my aunt and she knew it, still she was having trouble adjusting. She felt old, isolated and lonely. I visited often, did what I could to boost her spirits but the thought of Christmas was very depressing. It reminded her of all her Christmas past, the ones never to be again. She was determined not to celebrate the holiday and I was equally determined to recreate its happiness.
Christmas should not be about presents, youth and regret. Christmas is about peace, love and gratitude for all one has and has ever had, I told her, but it fell on deaf ears. I placed my treasure on top of the dresser, plugged in the little blue lights and left her with a box of small red wooden ornaments Id bought at the dollar store.
Arriving Christmas Eve, I found the little tree had worked its magic. All decked out with its new Christmas ornaments, lights ablaze, I am greeted with smiles and hugs. Knocking at my door hasnt stopped since word got out I had my very own Christmas tree! She proudly told me. Everyone wants one! Each December thereafter the little tree out of the closet, the ornaments were added and the lights plugged in. Surrounded by friends old and new the Christmas spirit of sharing and caring was back.
By 2001 my aunt no longer needed the little Christmas tree but someone else I knew did. Lonely, depressed and stressed by the increasing pressures of commuting to Toronto, my brother had now lost the Christmas spirit. Pulling the little tree out of the closet I hoped it would work its magic again. I snuck over to his house, decked it with the tiny red ornaments, plugged in the lights and left.
The next three years brought a change in my brother thanks in part to that little Christmas tree. For all his bah humbugs each December that scrawny little tree held a prominent place in his living room. In 2004, my brother got married and relocated to British Columbia. Holding a garage sale in preparation, one of the items for sale was that little Christmas tree. The minute I saw it I had to have it back. I paid him ten dollars, put it in the car and returned it to the closet. I just couldnt let that little tree go. Somehow I knew its spirit was still needed and I was right. Today it has a new home, just down the block. Hopefully its working its magic through those little blue lights and tiny red wooden ornaments.
A simple craft creation made by children exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas. If you doubt what Im saying attend the Christmas craft bazaar at any public school. All anyone needs at Christmas or for that matter any time of year is a simple act of kindness and a little goodwill.
Merry Christmas Ali
This ones for you
At Long Last! - submitted by
Steven Ridpath (riddy.co.uk)
All the talk of which tartan could we use, including my own thoughts, have
finally lead me to the definitive answer AT LAST!
I was able to take this August's holiday, and again in October for work, in
The Borders and sometime in Edinburgh hunting down a few leads. This also
included a few thoughts from the newsletters and our own post-it board (run
very well by Ed with more items on my web site over the winter nights).
Taken from "Redpaths of Berwick" by William REDPATH JOHNSTON in Berwickshire Naturalist Club Vols.39-40 Part 1 - 1971" on page 44 at the NAS
"David the First of Scotland founded MELROSE ABBEY and liberally endowed it
Three miles to the south-east of it and on the left bank of the river LEADER, about two miles south of EARLSTON, sat the hamlet of REDPATH.
REDPATH is said to have contained some 600 inhabitants before its close connection with the Abbey was severed by the Reformation: following which
the village gradually sank in to decay and insignificance."
Looking in the book shop next door to the NAS I picked up a small book called "Scots Kith & Kin - A Guide to the Clans & Surnames of Scotland". It
states "REDPATH, REIDPATH a district clan of Lauderdale (Earlston) 13th century. I had come across a very good web site and the reply from my
question is as follows:
What 'Kith & Kin' is actually saying is that the district from whence the
name Redpath comes is that of Lauderdale (Earlston). Redpath is a small village close to the town of Earlston which is in Lauderdale - the valley
in which the town of Lauder is situated. So there are no tartans called Lauderdale or Earlston and the suggestion for the surname Redpath is the
district tartan 'Tweedside' - the river through Lauderdale appears to become
or flow into the Tweed. Hope that helps.
Brian Wilton
Director of Operations
AT LAST!!!! Checking on a tartan site below are those tartans.
http://www.scotyard.com/tartanfinder/scottish/gallery25.htm
TWEEDSIDE HUNTING MODERN
TWEEDSIDE RED
We can also use the Black Watch as ours is a Scottish name after all.